Pontefract’s British rallycross champion to take on Europe’s best

Tony Harber

Pontefract-based British rallycross champion Craig Lomax has added another national title to his achievements and is now gearing up to take on the best of Europe in his car class.

Lomax and his XtremeRX team have headed the Super 1600 class in the British Rallycross Championship all year and clinched the title this month in round six at Pombrey, in Wales – winning the competition with two rounds still left to go.

A fourth maximum point haul of the year left the Ponte driver well clear at the head of affairs and the focus is now on the next challenge with Lomax having made the decision to go and race at Valkenswaard, in the Netherlands for round four of the FIA sanctioned Rallycross Challenge Europe on August 15 and 16.

This will place Lomax up against some of the best Super 1600 drivers in Europe, a challenge that he is relishing.

Lomax will be looking to reproduce the form he showed last year on his first visit to Valkenswaard with the British Championship when he finished on top of the podium in the Hot Hatch class.

He went on to win the British Hot Hatch Championship before moving on to a new class for 2015.

‘This year was always about development. A new car and a new class has meant we have had problems to overcome,” said Lomax.

“I think that the team and I are now ready to take the next step and see how we fare against some of the best that Europe has to offer.’

A 34-year-old family man, who races hard but fair, Craig works closely with his team to develop the car to help him win.

Over the last three years he has developed his driving skills to be challenging for national titles.

In the 2013 season he came extremely close last year to becoming national champion. Unfortunately a gear linkage failure in the final round in the final race saw the team miss out on the top honours, having to settle for second place.

For the 2014 season the team worked hard to further develop the car. Their hard work was rewarded when Craig won the 2014 Hot Hatch championship with a round to spare.